Wolves boss Mick McCarthy believes the contrast of his fit squad injured Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres justifies wholesale changes at Manchester United.

Both Gerrard and Torres are playing with groin injuries in a team that have lost nine of their last 17 games, while Javier Mascherano is banned for the next four matches.

McCarthy, who has suffered no casualties for three games, feels playing while injured will see the Reds duo succumb and can only have a negative effect on the team.

“They might do it for one game, and they might play great, but you can’t keep doing it because they will just break down eventually,” said McCarthy.

“I wonder how I’d feel if I’d got Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake or Karl Henry playing at 70-80 per cent because they’d had three games in seven days.

“Jody Craddock got through our game on Sunday but then he was knackered.

“But no one asked me that when I was the dog that everyone wanted to beat up and keep battering me with a stick.

“Now, because we’re playing Liverpool and Torres and Gerrard are carrying injuries, sympathy won’t be forthcoming with me.”

Meanwhile, Kevin Doyle believes Portsmouth’s win over the Reds last week shows that anybody can beat anybody.

“I suppose even though Liverpool are under pressure they will still be favourites. But we still have a good chance. It will be a great game for us,” he said.